Cheeks Worries
by BML Hillen-Keene
Summary: Set at the end of Mattimeo. Since the Redwallers got their young ones back, Cheek has been feeling left out, and no one has noticed. Can Basil convice the young otter to come back to Redwall, and that he is wanted and loved?


Disclaimer: own nothing

A/N: I have recently been rereading my Redwall series and I decided that Cheek and Basil were just so damned cute, that I just had to write about them actually having a serious moment particularly about the way they have a father son thing going on. Anyway, enjoy.

Cheeks Worries

Matthias frowned in some confusion when he spotted young Cheek veering away from the group. Leaving his sons side he made his way quickly to the otter, stopping him with a paw on his shoulder. The mouse noted how the child stiffened a little and was worried. He quickly thought back over the last few hours and days to find some reason Cheek seemed wary of him. Too his great shock he realised guiltily that since getting his son back he had all but ignored the young otter who had helped them so much. And that had been almost two full weeks now.

"Where are you off to?" he asked, making sure to keep his tone light and questioning, in no way accusing or suspicious. The poor child must have thought that they had all forgotten about him. He remembered what the little one had said about having no parents, and how eager to join them he had been, and to please them. He felt even guiltier of how he had unintentionally ignoring him.

Cheek turned a little to look at him, his eyes confused. "Going home, aren't I." He said, sounding a little too casual.

Mathias could feel the slight tremble go through the otters shoulder. "You don't want to come to Redwall with us?" the mouse asked. He noted how Cheeks eyes darted towards Basil, who had stopped not too far away and was directing the others on their way. Matthias knew he was listening though. The hare had grown very fond of the little otter, and Cheek had grown fond of him.

Cheek scuffed the ground a little and mumbled something Matthias didn't quite catch.

"What was that?" the mouse asked.

Cheek suddenly pulled away in anger and glared at him. Matthias was saddened to see tears in the young ones eyes.

"I said I don't belong in your stupid Abbey! With your stupid feasts and your stupid fake niceness!" Cheek blurted. "I was fine all by myself before I met you and that stupid bunny rabbit! You don't want me there now you have your stupid young ones back! I wish—" he cut himself off, swallowing quickly and backing away.

Matthias frowned worriedly. He wasn't angry at the outburst, he had been expecting something like it, but the sudden look of fear on Cheeks face as he stopped talking was cause for concern. "Cheek?" he asked, reaching out.

"I didn't mean it! I didn't! I swear! I didn't wish we'd never found them! I'm Sorry!" with a strangled sounding sob the otter turned and ran into the forest.

Matthias looked after him before closing his eyes. "We've made some sort of mistake here Basil." He sighed, looking at his friend, who had moved to stand beside him. "But I'm damned if I know how to fix it."

Basil shook his head. "Young'uns just feeling a tad put out I reckon." The hare said. "I'll have a bit of a talk with him and he'll be as right as rain. You'll see." Basil gave him a wink, but it did nothing to hide his own concern.

Matthias gave him a small smile in return. "You're very fond of him, aren't you?" he asked.

Basil looked away for a moment. "Don't know what you're talking about old bean." And the hare took off into the surrounding forest. It didn't take him long to find the young otter, who had stopped by the first fallen log and was sobbing in a heartbroken manner.

"Now, now, Cheek me laddo—chin up, none of that crying lark." Basil said, not unkindly.

Cheek looked up at him, rubbing his nose and scrubbing at his eyes, taking in huge gulps of air that made him seem like he was having a panic attack. Unable to stand to watch such a young creature in such distress, Basil sat beside him and gathered him up. After a short while the sobbing became clear as words. Cheek was repeating, over and over. "I didn't mean it!"

Basil brushed a paw down the otters back soothingly. "I know you didn't, Matthias knows you didn't either. Now, do you want to tell me what brought this on?"

The otter shook his head.

They sat like that for a while until Cheek had calmed down enough to hold a conversation. Basil pulled back and properly looked at the young one. Cheek seemed to shrink in on himself under his curious gaze.

"Now laddo. What's the matter?" the hare asked.

Cheek shrunk down further. "nuthin'." He responded listlessly.

"You called me a 'bunny rabbit' young otter me lad, I'd say there's jolly well something wrong." Basil snorted.

"'m sorry." Cheek mumbled, looking quiet depressed suddenly, as if all the fight suddenly went out of him then, and that worried and scared Basil, because for all the time he'd known the young otter he had never been depressed.

"Come on now old chap, tell old basil what's the matter. We're going to get left behind and miss tea if you're not quick now." Basil prompted.

Still looking miserable and depressed, Cheek did not look at Basil. He simply stared into the undergrowth. "Don't belong at your Abbey." He mumbled. "Won't want me anyway after what I said."

"Codswallop!" Basil cried. "Cheek, we know you didn't mean what you said—and whose been telling you you don't belong? You tell me now and I'll go sort them out quick sharp like."

Cheek looked at him them, a sort of hope in his eyes, but he looked away again before Basil could be sure. "What if I don't want to stay at the Abbey?" the otter asked.

Basil was at a loss. "Well... I..."

Cheek pressed on before his courage failed him completely. "What if I wanted to stay with you?"

Basil was staggered by this announcement, so it took him a moment to realise that his silence had been mistaken for rejection and cheek had slid off the log and was making his way glumly into the undergrowth. Basil leaped up, and clean over Cheek, halting him in his tracks.

"Now hold on just one second there ya little blighter. You can't go dropping big news like that and expect a jolly old answer straight away. First things first. What do ya mean?"

Cheek shuffled a little. "I want to stay with you. I like you. I don't 'ave a mum or dad, but I reckon you'd be just as good as them." He looked up at Basil with such hopeful eyes that Basil practically melted.

"Come one cheek me lad, lets go catch up with the others. It's back to Redwall for us." Basil put an arm around Cheek, glad the otter had understood what he had meant. He half smiled when the young one gripped some of his fur and pressed close to him.

Matthias gave Basil a questioning look when they emerged, noting how Cheek ducked behind the hare when he saw him. "Everything alright?" he asked.

Basil nodded; reaching behind him to rest a paw on Cheeks head. "Everything's just dandy old chum. On to Redwall for us."

"I'm sorry Matthias." Cheek mumbled from behind Basil.

Matthias smiled kindly when the otters head peeked out. "It's alright Cheek. I'm sorry too; I never noticed how we'd all been ignoring you since we got our own young ones back. Pease accept my apologies."

Cheek looked at him in astonishment, before breaking into a brilliant smile. Matthias was sure that had Cheek not been so determined to stay as close as he possibly could to Basil right now, he would have gotten a quick hug. But looking at his old friend and the little otter he felt pleased, at least something good came from this.

Together the three quickly moved to catch up with the rest of the group, and continued on to Redwall.

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